


Superhero Business

by SkyGiantz



Category: Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Drabble, Gen, Ken is tired of Tony's shit, Peter is just going along with it, Sort Of, Tony Stark Acting as Peter Parker's Parental Figure, mostly he just likes to embarrass Peter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-15
Updated: 2018-10-15
Packaged: 2019-08-02 17:05:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,104
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16309223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SkyGiantz/pseuds/SkyGiantz
Summary: “Have you filled out the proper forms?” Ken asks, glaring back at Stark. He hears Stark sigh, and look around. “You can’t just take one of the students, Mr. Stark. You have to fill out the release form, first.”Release form? And, wait? You said my name. You know who I am and you’re still giving me a hard time about taking the kid?” Stark shakes his head. “Usually, I have parents throwing their kids at me.”“Release form.” Ken repeats, taking a step forward. "Or, no student."Or: Ken deals with self-entitled billionaire, Tony Stark, and reminisces about when students would just start fights and beat each other up.





	Superhero Business

Every High School has its set of problem students. Ken Morita, the principle of Midtown Science High School for nearly ten years now, can say he’s seen all sorts of students walk his halls. From slackers to troublemakers, all the way to kids who think the most appropriate place for a throwdown is in the middle of the cafeteria. And that’s not even half of it. But as far as students went, he rather thought his were a good bunch.

 That’s why, when Janet from administration knocks on his door saying, “We’ve got a problem Ken”, he’s already on his feet and heading toward the door.

“Who is it this time?” he asks.

The students have been quiet these past few weeks; the worst instance being one of the Freshman, an Eliza Gonzales, bringing live insects into Biology class last Monday. It really wasn’t much of an issue as she didn’t necessarily _do_ anything with them; just sort of left them crawling all over each other in a clear plastic container for her classmates to see. She made it to nearly the end of the class before she was sent down to his office. If Ken wasn’t so disgusted, he would almost be impressed she managed to keep the bugs hidden for that long. It was, as she quoted, “for science”.

 After dealing with Miss. Gonzalez, Ken has learned to appreciate a good ol’ fight, a whole lot more. At least then, he knows what to do. Staring at Miss. Gonzales’s insects, Ken could honestly say that he hadn’t a clue.

Janet just looks at him bemusedly. “Where are you going?” she asks, not making any motion to follow him.

“I thought you said there was a problem”. 

“Yeah”. Janet says, gesturing toward the file tucked under her arm (and when did that get there?) “I don’t know if I’d call it a problem so much as a—well here, you just take a look for yourself.” She holds out the folder for him. He eyes her critically.

“So, no fight?” Ken asks, hesitantly closing his office door behind him.

“No, sir." She grins at him.

“Nothing…” He struggles for a word here. “Odd?”

“Just open the folder, Ken."

He wanders back to his desk, opening the file as he goes. “The emergency contact forms?” 

“They’re the records submitted for update.”

“I can see that.” He thumbs through the forms, briefly. The stack held about 20-30 forms. Which reminds him- this is usually around the time that he has to send out reminders for parents to update their children’s emergency contact information. The changes are never anything pressing; just a few updated addresses and phone numbers.

“What’s the issue?” he asks. Ken glances back at the forms. “Looks fine to me.”

“It’s a Mr. Parker. Right there. I put it on the top for you.” Janet strides up to his desk and points to the emergency contact section. “Last year’s files said he had his Uncle, a man named Benjamin Parker, listed as his secondary emergency contact, but now—”

“It’s Anthony J. Stark,” Ken finishes. He looks back at the cramped handwriting, a clear difference to the curly writing the rest of the form is filled out in. There’s no information other than a name and number. Not even the relationship to student line was filled out. Hardly anything reliable. His gaze finds Janet’s. “Mr. Parker’s Uncle passed last March I believe,” he recalls. He remembers the yellow paper’s signed by Peter’s Aunt excusing him from school.  In fact, the only reason he can put a face to the name is that Peter had been absent for so long afterward. Nearly three weeks- an issue that he would have undoubtedly pressed if Peter hadn’t tried to stay on top of his missing homework. It wouldn’t do well to have such a high-ranking student fail the grade- not that Peter didn’t have his sympathy. He certainly did.

Ken managed to glimpse Peter once as his student was picking up the most recent pile of missed work from the office, and the sight was not a friendly one. Poor kid looked awful; puffy eyes with dark circles under them, and a defined hunch to his shoulders.

 “You don’t think it’s real, do you? I mean, actual Tony Stark? Iron Man?” Janet laughs to herself like it’s all some misunderstanding. “Tony Stark wouldn’t just, oh I don’t know, hand out his personal number to high school students, would he?” Ken swivels his chair over to his desktop and does a quick attendance search.

“I’ve heard talk that he has a Stark Internship, so it’s possible I guess. It seems that Mr. Parker’s attendance is horrible though. Looks like the kid can’t go a whole week without so much as a tardy,” he says frowning. “And,” Ken types Peter’s name into student records this time. “-detention too, it seems.”

Honestly, Ken finds it stranger that Peter would list his second emergency contact as his _boss_ , more so than the fact that the person in question is Iron Man.

Janet stares at him incredulously. “You don’t think that the internship is real too, do you? I mean nothing against Mr. Parker- he sounds like a very intelligent boy- but he’s only fifteen!”

He goes back to his desktop and pulls up Peter’s transcript. All A’s so far except for one B in Spanish; resulting in a 3.90 unweighted GPA. He’d almost say that he’s impressed the kid can keep those grades despite his poor attendance record.

“Technically the Stark Internship would be a private internship and wouldn’t have to report to the school,” he answers. Ken’s not sure he entirely disagrees with Janet, (because, really, there’s no way he’s holding _the_ Tony Stark’s private phone number in his hand) but he considers Peter Parker, and his supposed internship and decides that it’s not really his place to speculate. “Besides, Mr. Parker _is_ a very intelligent individual; one of the best in his class actually, so I see no reason why he couldn’t be selected for an internship.” Ken hands the stack of files back to Janet. “Nor, do I see any reason why Mr. Parker would go through so much effort to lie about it.”

Well, that part isn’t exactly true. Ken can imagine quite a few reasons.

“So, what should we do?” Janet asks, grabbing the files from Ken’s outstretched hand.

“Just leave it for now.” He considers his options, carefully. He could call Peter down to his office and figure this out, but that would mean pulling his student from class and Ken would rather not have to do that. The kid is hardly there as it is. Admittedly, being the principle, he should follow through with this, but in all honestly emergency contacts are almost never needed, and his Aunt is already listed as the primary.

“Update everything as normal.” He hands the folder back to Janet. “And, that includes Mr. Parker.”

With over 4000 students under his care, Ken doesn’t have time to worry about something as minor as a secondary contact.

(And Ken really, _really,_ doesn’t want to think about what it says that Peter’s secondary emergency contact is his _boss._ )

“Okay, I’ll just update it as it says, I guess.” Janet sounds unsure, but Ken just nods at her, so she tucks the folder under her arm and leaves.

It’s hardly a moment later before a whirlwind of a teacher comes barreling into his office; heels slapping against the tile floors like gunfire.

“Principle Morita!” she exclaims, sounding out of breath. “Fight…math hallway…two seniors.”

He’s out the door in seconds, feeling full of what is, but definitely shouldn’t be relief.

Finally, something normal.

 

-3 months later-

 

A large shout starts Ken from where he’s currently enjoying his lunch in his office, to running out his office door, and into the Administration Office. “What do you _mean_ I can’t take him from class? He did put me down in his contact information, right? The kid told me he did, and I doubt he would lie to me.”

Ken blinks, caught off guard by the sight of Tony Stark leaning over the front office desk and yelling at one of his secretaries. Meyer’s, the newest hire, leans back in her seat, looking like she would rather be anywhere else. She looks away from Stark and starts typing furiously into her computer. “I-I can’t—the computer won't-"

From where he’s standing, Ken can see that Meyer’s is shaking. He steps up front.

“Can I help you?” he asks, coolly, stepping in front of Meyer’s and shielding her from view.

Ken watches Stark raise a brow at him. “Are you the principle? You look like the principle- listen, you’ll have to excuse my, uh, intern Peter Parker from class. I need him, now.” Stark looks at Ken pointedly.

Ken knows about as much as anyone else about the rich, highly esteemed, Tony Stark. Hell, Ken would bet his entire paycheck that Stark’s loafers are worth more than Ken’s entire one-month salary. He knows that Stark is both cocky and absolutely brilliant. Ken also knows that Stark managed to build himself a near-indestructible iron costume and parades around in it like it’s Halloween. The news never seems to shut-up about Stark long enough for him to forget he exists. But, with the constant coverage Stark receives, he never knew how short the hero is. Ken was never the tallest individual, but even he stands taller than Stark.

Stark glares at him, but it’s a bit hard, he thinks, to look intimidating when you have to look up at someone. “Have you filled out the proper forms?” he asks, glaring back at Stark. He hears Stark sigh, and look around. “You can’t just _take_ one of the students, Mr. Stark. You have to fill out the release form, first.”

“Release form? And, wait? You said my name. You know who I am and you’re _still_ giving me a hard time about taking the kid?” Stark shakes his head. “Usually, I have parents throwing their kids at me.”

“Release form,” Ken repeats, taking another step forward. “Or, no student.”

 Stark just rolls his eyes. “What? Okay, fine,” Stark waves his hand at him. “Give it here. I’ll fill it out.” He turns to face Meyer’s.

“Can I have one of the forms, please?” he asks. Meyer’s, snapping out of her awe-struck expression, shakes her head.

“I’m trying!” she says, frantically clicking her computer mouse. “But, I need to print more, and the screen’s frozen.” She turns the monitor to show Ken, and nevertheless, the mouse cursor doesn’t even move along the page. He turns his attention back to Stark.

“If you would just take a seat over there-” Ken says, pointing to the bench by the door, “-then, we’ll have the form out to you shortly.”

Stark rolls his eyes. “I could hear your secretary here, just fine. Look, you can just send me that form later, and I’ll fill it out for you then. Okay? Liability reasons and all that- I get it. But, I need Parker, _now_.”

Ken notes the way Stark’s foot taps impatiently. He doubts the man has ever had to wait for anything in his life. Which brings the question: why go so far for an _intern_ of all things? “Yes,” Ken grins, bitterly. “Liability. I’m glad you understand. But, you’ll still have to wait. Right over there, if you will.” He gestures toward the waiting area.

Stark throws up his hands. “You know what? Just forget it. I don’t have time to wait for you, teach.” Ken watches Stark as he puts his watch up to his face, and asks, “Fri, where’s the kid?”

A woman’s voice answers back a moment later, and Stark is striding out the door. Ken, eye’s wide with disbelief, takes a moment to process what just happened. _He has a tracker on his intern?_ Until now, Ken doubted the internship was even real. But, now, Ken is doubting that Peter is _only_ an intern. Honestly, who would go so far as to track their intern?

Well, Stark, Ken supposes, racing out the door to catch up with said billionaire. “Meyer’s,” he calls, at the last second. “Finish printing those forms, and bring one to me when you’re finished.”

Finding Stark isn’t difficult. Ken doubts the man is incapable of not making his presence known no matter where he goes. Teacher’s and students alike crowd into the hallway as Stark strides down the hallway, yelling, “Parker, come on kid, I know you can hear me. We need to go.”

He jogs up to Stark, putting a hand on his shoulder to try and stop him. In his peripheral, Ken can see both the faculty and students watching him.

Stark whirls on him, shrugging Ken's hand from his shoulder as he does. “What-what was that? Don't touch me,” the billionaire says, taking a step back from Ken. “Listen, I just need to grab the kid, and then I’ll be out of your way.”

Ken groans, frustrated. “That’s exactly the problem. You can’t just take a student without permission—”

“Whose permission?” Stark asks, raising a brow at him. “I’m listed as one of his contacts, right? I shouldn’t need permission. And, didn’t we just have this conversation?” Stark jerks a thumb back in the direction of the office. “Like, five minutes ago, I’m pretty sure.”

“That’s not the point.” 

“It’s not? Well, you could have fooled me,” Stark says, turning away from him. “Parker, let’s go, already!” he yells.

  
“Mr. Stark—” Ken starts, before Stark’s phone starts playing “Back in Black” by ACDC. It’s enough to make him openly stop and stare.

“Hold that thought,” Stark says, holding up a finger in Ken’s face. “Yeah, Hap, I’m coming. Getting the kid is a pain in the ass, though. Remind me again why we didn’t RSVP this?” Stark grins. “Yeah, yeah. Okay. I’ll be out in a minute- keep the car running.” The billionaire lets out a sigh and shoves the phone back into his breast pocket. “You were saying?” he looks at Ken, expectantly.

He clears his throat. “Right. Like I was saying, you need to—”

“Mr. Stark?” the voice is hesitant, but parts the students in the hallway like Moses parted the Red Sea. “Mr. Stark, is uh, everything okay?” His attention snaps to the Sophomore shuffling nervously in the middle of the hallway. Both of Peter’s hands grip the straps of his backpack, and Ken watches the way his student’s eye’s switch nervously between looking at Stark, and the rest of the students.

“Great. You’re finally here, kid.” Stark nods his head, approvingly. “About time. Didn’t you get my calls?” The billionaire strides toward Peter.

“Um, yeah, but I was in class, so…”

“Right, well none of that matters now,” Stark brushes off. “You got all your stuff?” Stark’s eye’s glance over Peter, and before he has a chance to answer, the billionaire hurries on, “We gotta go. Now. It’s important. I’ll tell you about it in the car, kay? Happy’s out front waiting for us.” Stark passes Ken, and starts toward the front exit.

“Wait! Mr. Stark…” Peter reaches out a hand and teeters nervously.

Stark turns and faces Peter. “What?” the billionaire asks, and if Ken didn’t know better, he would think Stark sounded exasperated.

“I can’t,” Peter says shyly. “I have class.”

“Class?” Stark exclaims. “What class could possibly be more important than coming with me?” Stark starts tapping his foot again, and Peter shuffles some more.

“I have…Spanish,” Peter admits, nervously.

“Spanish—again with Spanish? Listen, kid. If that class is so important to you, I’ll get you a tutor, or something. Come on,” Stark waves his arm. Ken notices the way Peter bites his lip, before jogging to catch up with Stark.

“Okay, yeah. Hey, Mr. Stark, we’re not going to Germany again, right? Because, I really can’t miss any more school, or else May will kill me.”

Ken jogs up to Stark and Peter, filing away what he just heard for later (Germany? _What?_ ). “Mr. Parker,” he calls, and unlike Stark, Peter actually stops and listens. “You can’t leave until Mr. Stark here,” he waves airily at the billionaire, “fills out the release form.”

“A release form?” Peter asks, facing Stark.

“This is sort of a time sensitive issue, Parker. Don’t really have time for forms.” 

Ken feels an oncoming headache. The gradual crescendo of whispers coming from the students isn’t helping, either. “Back to class!” Ken snaps. “All of you, right now! And, put your phone’s away before I take them.” Much like Peter, the kids shuffle nervously, obviously wanting to linger. “Go!” he shouts.

“Mr. Morita,” calls a feminine voice. Ken turns, and see’s Meyer’s looking scrambled and out of breath, but holding a release form and pen in her hand. “I have the form. Here,” she says holding it out for Stark to take.

Stark groans loudly, grabbing the paper and pen from Meyers’s outstretched hand. Uncapping the pen with his teeth, Ken watches the billionaire use the nearest locker to write on, and scribble his signature on the bottom line.

“Here,” Stark says shoving the form at him. Then, grabbing Peter by the shoulder, Stark visibly guides Peter down the hallway, until Ken is left alone standing awkwardly in the middle of the hallway. The hallways have cleared slightly, but students still stand idly, watching Ken and speaking to one another in hushed whispers.

“Show’s over,” he yells. “Get back to class.” Then, without looking behind him, he walks with Meyer’s back to the front office. When he returns the office is completely silent- nobody daring to look up from their computers. He sighs, walking into his office. Normally, he would have Meyer’s file the release form into the computer system, but he takes pity on the girl and opts to do it himself.

Setting aside his half-eaten lunch, he pulls up the attendance page on his computer. His cursor lingers over the “reason for absence” blank, to review what Stark wrote on the form. He doesn’t really expect there to be anything written and is thus surprised to find the words: _superhero business,_ filled out in Stark’s messy scrawl.

 _Honestly,_ Ken thinks, raking his hands down his face. _It’s never simple, is it?_   Normally, he would need a note from a parent or professional to validate Stark’s ridiculous claim, but just this once, he decides to let it slide.

Instead, he takes the bottle of Tylenol from his desk and swallows two of them dry.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place after Civil War, but before Homecoming.


End file.
